Awareness Campaigns

Public Awareness Initiatives Home The Patient-Centered Endocrinology Practice State of Diabetes in America Power of Prevention (POP) Emerging Science PCOS HGH Thyroid Awareness 2008 Stand Strong

Thyroid Awareness Month: 1998

Baby Blues Sunset Blues Moody Blues Midnight Blues
Common Symptoms The Neck Check Press Release Background Information

 

Thyroid Disease and Depression in Mid-Life Women
MOODY BLUES

At 39, Eileen was the epitome of today's active working mother. She kept herself extremely busy, working more than 50 hours a week as an advertising executive and taking care of her three energetic children, loving husband and large, suburban home. Eileen thrived on balancing both work and family, always meeting challenges head-on.

While everything in her life seemed perfect, Eileen slowly began to notice many physical and emotional downturns. Although she was getting the same amount of sleep and her workouts remained unchanged, she often became tired and lethargic, and seemed to be gaining weight. She also began experiencing extreme mood swings for no apparent reason. But most disturbing, Eileen became unusually depressed and unable to think clearly.

Eileen attributed many of her symptoms to approaching middle-age and menopause. Since Eileen had always been an attractive woman, who could "do it all," she assumed her moodiness stemmed from her frustration with her aging appearance and inability to keep up the pace. "Perhaps," she thought,"I'm entering a mini mid-life crisis."

THE FACTS
  • Women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to suffer from thyroid disease.
  • Approximately 1 woman in 8 will develop thyroid disease during her lifetime.
  • Depression is often a sign of an underactive thyroid known as hypothyroidism, the most common type of thyroid disease.
    • Hypothyroidism occurs 4 times more often in women, and is often called the "hidden health problem."
    • Symptoms are easy to mistake for other health problems and often mimic signs of aging and menopause.
  • Hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, occurs 7 to 9 times more often in women - and the age group most often affected includes those 30 to 40 years of age.

 

Of course, not every woman approaching menopause who feels "the blues" and other symptoms mentioned here will be found to have hypothyroidism. To be sure, women are advised to conduct a "Thyroid Neck Check," a simple, self-examination that can be performed with a glass of water and a mirror.

 

Entering middle-age can be hard, especially for women in the '90s, who feel pressures from society to be good mothers and successful career women, as well as to maintain their youth and beauty. From wrinkles and grey hair to the onset of menopause, women both see and feel the aging process, which often leaves them with "the blues." In addition, many women experience symptoms that they attribute to aging, including fatigue, forgetfulness and weight gain. The good news, however, is that these overall feelings of listlessness may not be true depression, but rather the result of an underactive thyroid gland, called hypothyroidism.

Thyroid disease, especially hypothyroidism, is very common in women. A recent study involving 1,000 women showed that 7.5 percent had elevated thyroid hormone levels - determined through an ultra-sensitive, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test. Since the risk of having a failing thyroid gland increases with age, women entering mid-life should be aware that they may fall victim to the disease. Most physicians believe that elevated TSH levels represent the earliest sign of thyroid failure, since more than 20 percent of all individuals with mild thyroid gland failure will advance to more severe hypothyroidism within four years.

Since many women entering middle-age begin to experience significant physical and emotional changes, they often don't realize their symptoms may be a problem with their thyroid gland, which regulates the body's metabolism, and affects heart rate, cholesterol level, body weight, energy level and menstrual regularity. These symptoms may not be related to a working woman's daily stresses of missing a client deadline or a daughter's soccer game. And there may be a different reason for her unexplained anger towards her husband or inability to run her usual three-mile route.

Of course, not every woman approaching menopause who feels "the blues" and other symptoms mentioned here will be found to have hypothyroidism. To be sure, women are advised to conduct a Thyroid Neck Check, a simple, self-examination that can be performed with a glass of water and a mirror. This test helps to identify an enlarged thyroid gland which may be an indication of thyroid disease.

If a woman is feeling "the blues" and believes she has an enlarged thyroid gland, she should consult her physician. Most likely, her physician will conduct a simple, highly-sensitive TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test to rule out the possibility of thyroid disease. In addition to being easy to diagnose, an underactive thyroid is very easy to treat by taking one pill a day. Once diagnosed and treated, women with thyroid disease and needless blues can get their lives back on track.

 

Hoping that there was an explanation for her changing body and psyche, Eileen shared her story with her physician, asked for a TSH test and learned that she did have an underactive thyroid gland. Eileen was advised to take one levothyroxine sodium tablet daily to replace the missing thyroid hormone in her body and to come back every six months to ensure her TSH levels stayed within normal range. Soon she was feeling like her old self again, taking on the roles of a successful career woman, happy wife and energetic mother.

 

Previous Thyroid Awareness Month Campaigns

Thyroid Awareness Month is supported through an unrestricted grant from Abbott Laboratories.
festival
festival
festival
festival